Final members of Camden luxury car theft gang jailed

THE final members of a “highly-organised” gang of burglars who stole £750,000 of luxury cars, valuable jewellery and electrical goods have been jailed.

Led by Irish brothers John and Daniel O’Leary, the 12-strong Camden-based gang targeted scores of houses in wealthy areas of north west London, the Home Counties and the Thames Valley between December 2009 and March this year.

Using car keys swiped from the homes they drove off with top of the range cars such as BMWs, Audis and Mercedes which had been sitting on their owners’ driveways.

Luxury cars worth a total of half a million pounds were taken, while a further £250,000 of luxury goods were also stolen during the burglaries.

Each member of the gang had their own specific role - from organising and carrying out the break-ins to delivering and negotiating the sale of the vehicles.

Robert Winter, 22, of Salisbury Walk, Archway, was jailed for two-and-a-half years after pleading guilty to supplying Class A drugs.

Ten of the gang have already been sentenced after the racket was smashed by an undercover police sting.

Disguised officers posing as criminals bought back 30 vehicles valued at £500,000 for just £30,000.

They were also sold drugs and, on one occasion, two ornamental shotguns.

In August ringleaders John O’Leary, 42, of Hadley Street, Camden Town, and Daniel O’Leary, 43, of Brassey Road, Kilburn, were jailed for a total of 13 years for stolen goods and drugs offences.

Gang members from King’s Cross, Islington, Holloway, Chalk Farm, Muswell Hill, Neasden and Romford were also given jail terms or suspended sentences.

Detective Inspector Bob Boggon of the London Crime Squad, who led the investigation, said: “This was an intensive, intelligence-led operation to dismantle a large criminal network living off the proceeds of property stolen from residential burglaries, such as expensive luxury cars.

“Burglaries can be very distressing for victims, in this case mainly families who lived in affluent areas. Though many of the stolen items were high value goods, there were also a considerable number of personal items of sentimental value, on which a price cannot be put.

“The Met Police will be relentless in its pursuit of organised gangs such as this one.”